Board Member – Shawn Mack – USAF

Shawn Mack is President of Mack Operations and MaxXjet, companies that provide aircraft management and flight support in addition to aircraft purchasing expertise. He is also the co-founder of HopZero, an Austin based startup.

HopZero has developed a unique system that prevents the data theft (hacking) of high value systems. Shawn is quoted saying; “HopZero is the solution to the whole sale raiding of our countries data.” HopZero actually has the unique ability to control how far data can travel on the internet. There is no longer an excuse for major corporations to have their data bases stolen. It is the solution corporations have been asking for, given firewalls continue to fail.

Shawn’s experience with military security and love for his country lead to his involvement in this critical area of data security. His background in: professional aviation for forty-three years as a LtCol. military fighter pilot, instructor pilot, test pilot and mentor, and a twenty-seven-year career as a Northwest/Delta Airline Captain/Instructor, gave Shawn a broad base of technical and advisor abilities.

After graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin system, Shawn entered the Air Force at Del Rio, Texas’s Laughlin Air Force, and earned the top honor of Commanders Cup at graduation. He served as a T- 38 instructor until his assignment to the F-15 Eagle at Luke AFB and then Holloman AFB. Holloman commanders asked Shawn to take the reins of the Operation Test Division, where he earned the highest “readiness” ever recorded during their ORI (Operational Readiness Inspection). In 1985, he separated from active duty to join both the Air National Guard and Northwest Airlines. Shawn has always graduated from every pilot training class as the “Outstanding Graduate”. He became mission ready in the A-10 for the Wisconsin ANG flying over 800 hours in various domestic and overseas theaters. He transitioned to the F-16 flying 845 hours again in domestic and international theaters. Flying all variants of the B727, DC10, A320, A330, B757, B767 (domestically and internationally), he was selected to be an instructor for Northwest Airlines and an Aircrew Program Designee, representing the FAA and awarding Captain authorization. Transitioning to Delta Airlines during their merger with Northwest airlines, he continued as an international instructor pilot.

The Spring of 2006, Shawn attended an adult seminar called Discovery, in Dallas Texas. It was his association with the Discovery program as a trainee, later as a Trainee Assistant, and then as a Facilitator, that fueled his passion for intervening and counseling those in need.

September 2012, Captain Shawn d. Mack, hung up his hat as a Delta Check Airman and pursued his love for helping people by serving in Roatan Honduras. It all started at a children’s orphanage in Coxan Hole and has evolved into a love of making connections between NFP organizations and the local citizenry. He has assisted in the construction and repair of various projects on Roatan such as schools, a church, and an orphanage. He has facilitated an agriculture project that he discovered in Antigua Guatemala, and has facilitated getting the local expert there hired and relocated to Roatan, with the help of HALA (Honduran Abundant Life Association) and the Salvador Foundation. Shawn’s passion for the Honduran people and witnessing the poor diet without vegetables lead to his decision to help develop this project. He continues to serve monthly in Honduras and at his home church (Life Austin) in Austin, Texas.

February 2019, Shawn was asked by Nick Powers, President of Warfighter Scuba, to be on the board of directors and help grow the organization to allow help to more PTSD affected soldiers using scuba as therapy. Certified in 1975 as a scuba diver and now as an advanced diver, he immediately recognized the value in this approach to treatment and agreed to join as a WarFighter Scuba board member. Shawn feels like this organization is a perfect fit for his mission, found in his Discovery expirence, which is: “to minister to every man, woman, and child, I see in crisis”. He is passionate and excited to have the opportunity to serve the Warfighter Scuba cause.

Mission Statement

Warfighter Scuba is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing combat wounded veteran service members from NATO countries a new life experience. Our goal with our training curriculum is to teach and certify wounded veterans Scuba. By offering custom tailored training and worldwide recognized certifications we are giving our war heroes an alternative outlet for their burdens of war. No one forgotten, no one left behind.